Automatic regulator for windmills.



Patented sht. 9, |902. Y

E. A.' BnoMLEY. ''AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR WIND'MILLS.

(Application med Feb. 8,1902.)

No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMET A. BROMLEY, OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR WINDMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,620, dated September 9, 1902. Application filed February 6, 1902. Serial No. 92,842. (No model.) i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMET A. BROMLEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residin g at Bri ghton,in the county of Arapahoe and State 'of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Regulaters for Windmills; and I do declare the fol- 1 regulator thereto.

lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic regulators for windmills.l

, The object of the invention is to automatically eiect the starting and stopping of a windmill at a predetermined time by a system of weights and a float which connect by cables ina suitable manner with the vane of the windmill or to a counterbalance-weight arm when used in connection with a vaneless windmill, so as to render the wheel operative when the water in a tank in which said iloat operates falls below a certain point; and the invention further consists in certain novel features of construction, as will fully appear in the accompanying specification and claims. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a windmill-tower, showing the application of the improvedv automatic Fig. 2 is a view of the differential sheave forming a part of the regulator; and Fig. 3 is a View of a crank-lever, to one end of which the iioat-cord is attached. In the; accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, the letter Aindicates the wind-wheel, B the vane, C the tower, and

D the tank, all of which are of the common type.

Upon the top of the tankD is secured apair of standards or supportsE, the tops of which form bearings for a short shaft e, lto which a differential sheave F is keyed. This sheave is arranged to form three sheaves f, which vary in diameter from they smallest, which may be three inches in diameter, to the largest, which may be nine inches in diameter, and a pair of twin sheaves f2, which are much larger in diameter. To one of the standards E and below the sheave F is pivoted a cranklever e2, to one end of which is secured a cord or cable e3, which carries a float c4 at its lower end, while to the other end of the said cranklever is secured a cable e5, the free end of which passes around one of the small sheaves f and is secured thereto. Around one of the twin sheaves f2 passes a cable f3, carrying a Vweight f4 at its free end, the end passing around the sheave being` secured thereto. y It lwill thus be seen by reference to the drawings that when the sheave F is turned in that direction to unwind cablejz3 and lower weight f4 cable e5 will be unwound from its sheave f, thus rocking the crank-lever e2 and allowing Iloat e4 to descend.

Secured to the remaining twin sheave fand passing around the same in an opposite direction to the cable f3 is a cable f5, which eX- tends to a sheave G, supported in bearings g, secured within the tower C. after passing over the sheave G is attached at its free end to a weight g2, which is heavier than either the weight f4 or iioat e, but not so heavy as their combined weights. A second cable gs is attached to the weight g2 and passes thence to the top of the tower C, where it connects with one end of the ordinary chain g4, attached to the vane of the windmill, by

which the said vane is turned to a position at right angles to its operative position when it is desired to stop the said windmill. When the improved regulator is used in connection with a vaneless windmill, the cable g3 connects with the weight-arm by which the said wheel is opened and closed'.

In Fig. l the windmill is illustrated as in operation, the water in the tank having dropped to the level represented by the dotted line l and the weight f4 being supported by platform f5, which limits its downward movement. Now as the tank kbegins to fill The cable f5 the float e4 will be borne upward by the rising water, thus releasing its pull on crankarm e2 and sheave f, leaving only lthe weight f4 to exert a pull on sheave F, which is counterbalanced by the opposite pull of the heavier l IOO ance the lighter weight f4 and remainin its lowered position supported upon platform h; but when the water in the tank begins to fall the oat, as well as weight f4, will depend from the sheave, and their combined weights will counterbalance that of weight g2, which will be drawn upward, releasing its pull on cable g3, which allows the vane to be drawn into operative position again in the wellknown manner. While the weight f4 drops a limited distance, the float e4 may drop a greater or less distance, according to which of the sheaves is engaged by the cable e5. The ends of the crank-lever e2 are provided with a plurality of holes eu, by which any desired adjustment of the cables attached thereto may be accomplished.

The device herein described forms a cheap and simple regulator-one that is positive in operation and not easily disarranged.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a regulator for windmills, the combination with a water-tank and pumping mechanism therefor, of a sheave supported above the said tank; cables passing around the said sheave, one of which carries a Weight, While the other carries a iloat; a cable which passes around the said sheave in an opposite direction to the before-mentioned cable, and over a similar sheave, supported by the windmilltower; aweight depending from the said ca ble; a cable connecting the said weight with the pump operating mechanism; the said weight being designed to drop by gravity and stop the mill, when the tank is full, and to be counterbalanced by the combined weights of the aforesaid float and weight, when the Water in the said tank falls, so as to allow the mill to start, substantially as shown.

2. In a regulator for windmills, the combination with a water-tank and pumping mechanism therefor, of a dierential sheave, and means, such as standards, for supporting the same, above the tank; a cable, one end ot' which passes around the said sheave, and is secured thereto, while theother end passes over a suitably-supported sheave within the windmill-tower, and is provided with a weight at its free end; a cable connecting the said weight with the pump-operating mechanism; a pair of cables secured to and passing around the said diierential sheave in an opposite direction to the before-mentioned cable, one of said cables being provided with a weight, while the other is provided with a float, the combined weights of said float and weight being greater than that of the before-mentioned weight, so as to counterbalance the same, when the water falls in the tanks, and thus permit the pumping mechanism to operate, substantially as shown.

3. In a regulator for windmills, the combination with a water-tank and pumping mechanism, of a cable one end of which connects with the said pumping mechanism, while the other end carries a weight, which normally prevents the operation of said mechanism, a cable, one end of which is secured to the said weight, the said cable passing over a sheave in proximity thereto, and over a dierential sheave secured above the water-tank, its free end being secured thereto; cables secured to the said sheave, and passing around the same in an opposite direction to the before-mentioned cable, one of said cables carrying a weight at its free end, while the other of said cables connects with one arm of a cranklever, to the other arm of which is secured a cable, the lower end of which carries a ioat, the said float and weight acting in concert to overbalance the before-mentioned Weight, when the water falls in the tank, so as to start the pump, while the before-mentioned weight drops when the tank is full, owing to the reduction in the pull exerted against it, as the fioat is borne up by the water, so as to stop the pump; and platforms upon which the weights rest, at the limit of their downward movement, substantially as shown.

et. In an automatic regulator for Windmills, the combination with a water-tank and pumping mechanism therefor of a differential sheave secured above the tank,the said sheave comprising a plurality of small sheaves of varying diameters, and twin sheaves of larger diameter; a cable which passes around one of the twin sheaves one end of which is secured to the same, while the other end depends therefrom, and carries a weight; a cable which is secured to one of the smaller sheaves, and passes around the same; a bellcrank lever, one arm of which connects with the said cable, while to the other arm is secured a cable, the lower end of which carries a fioat, which is operated by the rise and fall of the water, in the said tank; a cable secured to the remaining twin sheave and passing around the same in an opposite direction to the before-mentioned cable, the said cable extending to and over a sheave supported within the windmill-tower, and carrying a weight at its free end; a second cable secured to the said weight and connecting the same with the pumping mechanism; the said weight operating when lowered to stop the pump and when lifted by the combined weights of the before-mentioned Weight and float, as the water falls in the tank, to start the said pump; and platforms upon which the said weights rest when in their lowered position, substantially as shown.

5. In an automatic regulator for windmills, the combination with a Water-tank and pumping mechanism therefor of a diierential sheave supported above the tank; a second sheave in line with the first-mentioned sheave, supported within the windmill-tower; a cable secured to the dierential sheave which passes around the same and over the second sheave, and carries a weight at its free end; means for connecting the said weight with the pumping mechanism; cables secured to and pass- IOO IIO

ing around the differential sheave in oppo- [wand lift `the same, causing the pump to start, lo site direction to the before-mentioned cambie, substantiallyas shown; one of which carries a Weight,`whi1e the other In testimony whereof affix my signature carries a float; the combined Weights of said in presence of two Witnesses.l A weicht and oat being 0freatter than-the bet forementioned weight, 2s-Jo that, as the water EMMET A BROMLEY f in the tank falls, their combined Weights will Witnesses: turn the differential sheave, wind the cable G. SERGENT ELLIOTT, connected with thebefore-mentioned Weight,

GEO. R. LEE. 

